


Princess Power

by hermione_vader



Category: The Avengers (2012), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-25
Updated: 2013-01-24
Packaged: 2017-11-26 19:41:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/653736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hermione_vader/pseuds/hermione_vader
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Originally written for avengerkink.  Thor didn't think he would find admirers on Midgard--they have their own heroes to exult.  Yet he has found a demographic of devotees: girls ten and under believe he is the best hero in the history of ever, with his red cape and his hammer and flowing blond locks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Live from New York

**Author's Note:**

> Original prompt [here.](http://avengerkink.livejournal.com/8247.html?thread=18488375#t18488375)

Thor assumed that he would never be as adored in Midgard as the other Avengers were.  They praised him and cheered for him and a few even gave him slips of paper bearing their phone numbers, but he had no devotees.  Aging people shook Steve's hand and told him he would "make America great again", whatever that meant.  Lonely young people of all shapes and sizes approached Bruce in various states of awe.  Natasha's presence rendered hordes of young men speechless.  Young women followed Clint around, brandishing toy bows and arrows and reminding him of his "unending awesomeness".  But no one did such things for Thor.  He did not blame them, though.  He was not of their realm and as an outsider, he would have to settle for being enjoyed, not admired.   
  
Then he appeared on _The Today Show_.  
  
The other Avengers went, too, of course.  Steve and Tony spoke to the highest ranked anchors inside the studio, but Thor elected to stand outside with the crowd.  Miss Pepper had shown him a few episodes to help him prepare for this, and Thor had found the inside segments silly and inane.  He much preferred the moments when they showed the crowd outside waving their signs and gleeful shouting.  He still preferred it in person.  He strode around at the edge of the blocked off chunk of street, shaking hands and giving high fives to people who leaned over the metal fence.  
  
Thor was in the middle of giving a series of high fives to some young men when a small someone tugged on the edge of his cape.  
  
He looked down.  A little freckled-faced girl twisted the small clump of cape in her fist as she peered up in blinking awe.  Her pale red hair streamed out from underneath a winged plastic helmet as her own red cape flapped in the wind and she swung her own small Mjolnir in her other hand.   
  
"Hello there, little one," Thor said, smiling down at her.  
  
Her face broke into a huge grin.  "You're the best thing ever."  
  
"Why, thank you!"  Thor crouched down to her level.  He reached out through the fence's metal bars and brushed his fingers against her cape and helmet.  "Where did you find such fine armor?"  
  
She giggled.  "My mom and grandma made it."  She pushed to cape back to reveal a blue sweatshirt with silver embroidery.  "I wanted it to look just like yours, but they said putting metal on it would make it too heavy for me.  I'll put some metal on it when I'm older."  
  
Thor chuckled.  "I'm sure you will.  But this fits you very well for the time being."  
  
"Thanks!"  The girl turned and pulled out a few sheets of paper.  "I made these for you."  
  
Thor took the papers from her.  They were drawings, all done in brightest crayon.  Some were of him alone, some featured all of the Avengers, and one featured Thor with a taller version of herself floating over Midgard.  She'd written "Thor and Helena Save The World" at the bottom.   
  
"And you are Helena?" he asked.  "That's a pretty name."  
  
She laughed.  "Thank you.  Me and my sister Vivian got old-lady names 'cause Mom thinks they're chic."  
  
"Helena!"  Her mother pulled her back from the fence.  
  
"That's what Dad says!"

Just then, the woman with the microphone walked over and jammed it in front of Helena.  "Hi, there, sweetie!  You look so adorable!  Can you tell us about your outfit?  People keep tweeting us about it."  
  
Helena stepped up to the fence again.  "It's homemade."  
  
The anchorwoman leaned forward, teetered in her zebra-striped heels.  "And your helmet?"  
  
"My best friend Kylie got two of 'em somewhere and she gave me the other one.  We wear 'em together 'cause Thor's the best Avenger."  
  
"How much were they?"  
  
Thor held his hand in front of the microphone.  "It matters not."  He looked straight into the camera and imagined the prying eyes leering at their television sets.  "Her garb cannot be purchased for silver or gold."  He ran his fingers along the edge of her cape.  "Devotion runs through every stitch and love binds the hems.  These tweeting magpies cannot replicate or buy that.  And now I would ask your indulgence to allow us to continue conversing."  
  
The anchorwoman's tanned face turned pale.  "I-well-yes, of course."  She stood up and turned to other members of crowd who were more than happy to preen and jabber for her, but the camera still fixed on Thor and Helena.  
  
Thor took her hand and smiled.  "Helena, I am extremely honored to have earned your and Kylie's admiration."  
  
Helena laughed.  "Thanks!  But we're not the only ones who think you're the best.  Like every girl in our class loves you a lot!"  
  
"They do?"  
  
She nodded.  "Yup.  Some of the girls fight about who gets to marry you."  
  
Thor blinked, then chuckled  He never would have imagined Midgardians arguing for his hand, even the young ones.  "Do you join them?"  
  
"No!  That's dumb!"  Her red hair swished back and forth as she shook her head.  "Who thinks about getting married when you can run around fighting monsters and aliens and save the world and stuff?"  
  
"A few people, I imagine," Thor said, thinking of Tony and Pepper embracing after the end of every mission.  
  
Helena's mother put her hands on the girl's shoulder.  "Okay, okay.  Let's calm down."   
  
"But it's a stupid thing to fight about!"  Helena protested, waving her toy Mjolnir above her head.  Laughter rippled through the crowd around her.

"I know, but it's not important right now."  Then her mother looked at Thor.  "Uh, Thor, this might seem like weird question, but, uh, do you... _sleep_ in your armor and cape and everything?"  
  
"Of course not.  It is not conducive to tossing and turning," he answered.  
  
Her mother glanced down at the top of Helena's helmet.  "See?  What did I tell you?"  
  
"But mine's not metal!  Not yet!  I sleep fine in it!" Helena told her.  The other onlookers glanced at her mother with worry and confusion.  
  
"I am so worried about the cape," her mother whispered loudly, motioning toward her own neck.  
  
"I see."  Thor looked back at Helena.  "When armor is over-used---"  
  
A fat finger tapped his upper arm.  A stout man in a headset stood over him, furrowing his brow.  
  
"Mr. Odinson, I mean Your Highness...Majesty...Excellency...Your Grace, we need you inside.  We're experiencing some technical difficulties and our producers thought your presence might entertain the at-home audience while we resolve the issue."  
  
Thor pulled himself up to his full height and the headset-man's hands shook.  "If that is what they require, then I must go.  Helena, we will finish our discussion when I return."  
  
"Actually, they want the girl, too ," the headset-man said.  
  
"Excuse me?"  Helena's mother clutched her daughter to her side.  
  
The head-set man shrugged.  "I know it's a lot to ask, ma'am, but our ratings nearly doubled when we started running footage of them."  
  
Thor held his hand out once again.  "Madam, the choice is entirely yours.  And Helena's."  Then he turned back to the headset-man.  "Whatever their decision, I shall go."  
  
His cape billowed out behind him as he went to find the door to the studio.


	2. Interviews and Ideals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor sits down for an interview with Matt Lauer on the _Today_ Show. So does Helena. The world is never the same.

Eventually, another crewperson led him through a few hallways to the studio, where a short, slim man in a gray suit sat, waiting for him.  As soon as Thor stepped inside, a small pair of arms wrapped around his legs.  
  
"I'm gonna do it!  I'm gonna do it!" Helena exclaimed.  "But Mom says I have to be on my very best behavior."  
  
"I am sure you shall be."  Thor grasped her hand and led her forward, toward an empty maroon leather chair.  "And perhaps we might finish our discussion."  
  
He sat down in the maroon chair and listened to the cushions deflate as Helena climbed onto his lap.  They faced a small, slim, thin-haired man in gray suit.  Thor recognized the anchor from the episodes he'd previewed with Pepper.  Matt Something-Or-Other, if he recalled correctly.  
  
Matt leaned forward and began to speak.  "Look who's come to visit---"  
  
"Sir, if you will give us just a moment, that would greatly oblige us," Thor told the anchor.  Then he placed few red hairs behind Helena's ear.  She smiled and put her arms around his neck.  "Helena, I want you to listen to me very carefully."  
  
"Mmmkay," she giggled.  
  
Thor held up the end of her cape for her to see.  "Armor, however fine it may be...armor does not last."  He moved his right arm forward so the silver scales glinted in the garish lights.  "One day, mine will wear out and new armor will be forged.  That is why you must save yours.  That is why your mother worries for it.  Your armor is her gift to you.  A wonderful gift.  If you never take it off, it will wear out long before its time."  As he spoke, she took off her helmet and stared down at it.  Thor tipped her chin upward.  "Save this armor for your darkest days, so that when you put it on, the glory of Asgard and all of its warriors will give you the strength and grace to carry on for many years to come.  Can you do that for me, Helena?"  
  
She shrugged and nodded.  "I think so.  Does this mean I can't wear it to bed?"  
  
Thor simply laughed and hugged her.  He spied her mother standing next to one of the cameras, mouthing "Thank you".  
  
Thor looked back at the anchor.  "Alright, Matt, you may commence."  
  
Matt jolted forward and cleared his throat.  "Uh, well, as you folks at home just saw, we've welcomed another Avenger into our studio.  I'd like to introduce Thor, Prince of Asgard and God of Thunder, and his newest number one fan."  
  
"Hi!"  Helena waved to the cameras.  
  
"So, Hannah, was it?  What's it like, getting to meet a real prince?  And a god?"  
  
Helena bounced up and down.  "I'm HEL-en-uh.  And it's awesome!  He's even way bigger than me and my friends thought!  And he's way nicer---my friend Samantha said he'd be mean 'cause all famous people are secretly mean, but me and Kylie said he'd be nice and we were right!"  Then she looked up at Thor.  "Hey, aren't your other 'Venger friends s'posed to be in here?"  
  
"Yes, they are," Thor answered.  He squinted into the shadows and glimpsed sparks flying out of Tony's suit at the very back of the room.  He and Steve were covered in some horribly thick, light-colored liquid.  "Oh, I see them now!"  
  
Helena stood up on Thor's lap while Steve and Tony waved at her.  Steve grinned, Tony scowled. "I see 'em, too!  Did they spill some cake batter or something?"  
  
Matt jolted again and his face looked pinched.  "Ah, yes, our at-home audience learned that robot suits are not meant for cooking."  
  
Thor chuckled.  "I could have informed you of that."  
  
"Really?  Tell us about that, Thor."  Matt's expression calmed.  
  
"One evening shortly after I returned here to Midgard, our colleague, Hawkeye, dared the good Man of Iron back there to prepare a proper feast using only his iron suit.  To put it simply, Matt---"  
  
"Everything _exploded_?" Helena asked, throwing her arms up.  
  
"Yes."  Thor reached up and helped her sit back down.  
  
She sat back down with her back to the camera.  "Do they do that stuff a lot?"  
  
"Yes, they certainly do.  They are fond of what they call 'prank wars'."  
  
Helena's brown eyes grew wide.  "Do they prank you?"  
  
"Oh, yes.  Iron Man is especially fond of tricking me.  He convinced me to watch a most horrible film called _The Room_ , among many other ridiculous things ."  
  
"So did you get him back?"  
  
Thor glanced up.  Tony was jerking his finger in front of his neck.  "Yes, I did.  What do you think I did?"  
  
Helena paused.  "Splashed pink paint on his suit?"  
  
"No, but I must remember that for the next retaliation.  I taught him something he thought was a traditional Asgardian ballad.  But instead, I'd simply mixed up the lyrics of the Earth ballad "Call Me Maybe" and sang them to a tune from my childhood.  He never suspected.  And Hawkeye recorded the entire sequence.  I believe he put it on the YouTube, but I am not quite certain.  Either he or the good Man of Iron would have to refresh my memory."  Thor winked at the camera.  He could see Tony waving his arms wildly now as a female crewperson wiped the batter off of his suit.  
  
Helena's face turned red with laughter.  "You guys are _crazy_!"

Matt spoke up again.  "So, Helena, how do you feel now that you know your heroes aren't as heroic as you thought?"  
  
She tilted her head to the side.  "What are you talking about, mister?  Everybody does silly stuff like that.  I put maple syrup in my sister Vivian's hair 'cause I thought it would work like shampoo you could eat."  She shook her head.  "It doesn't."  
  
Her mother winced.  
  
"That's very interesting, Helena.  I can't imagine what your mother thought of that," Matt said.  The crewpeople laughed.  "You know, Thor, since we started broadcasting you two from outside, we've gotten hundreds of messages from mothers all across the country telling us how much their little girls love you.  We've even gotten a few pictures." Thor imagined they would show a few of the pictures from the Facebook or wherever in the cyber realm the crew found them to the television audience.  "Now, I'm guessing that's not the demographic a tall, strapping, courageous warrior like yourself would hope to attract?"  
  
"No, I did not.  I did not expect to attract any demographic of admirers, as you say."  Thor picked up a few strands of Helena's hair and began to weave them together.  
  
Matt folded his hands in his lap.  "Why not?"  
  
"My colleagues are the heroes of this realm.  I have learned much since I first arrived in this country's vast desert and I have even become a proactive embassador for my realm, but the people of this one do not owe me their love or even their reverence.  I certainly would never demand it.  But I am as happy as I am surprised to receive it in whatever form it takes."  Thor wrapped the strands' ends around the first finished braid and began a second one.  Helena tried to turn around to see what he'd done, but he gently nudged her to face foward.  She sighed and did so.  
  
"So you're not at all disappointed or worried that you might be an Edward Cullen for the preschool set?"  
  
"Not at all.  I do not sparkle in the sun, for one thing."   
  
"'Cept your fishscale arms do," Helena pointed out.  
  
Thor finished off the second braid and began a third.  "You are very right, Helena.  Nothing escapes your notice."  
  
She bounced again.  "Thanks."  
  
"All I can tell you, sir, is that I welcome any affection this realm can give, no matter who gives it."  He twisted the three braids together.  "And one must always respect the power and courage of little girls.  My friend Sif taught me that long ago."  
  
"Who's Sif?"  
  
"She's this awesome black-haired lady from Asgard who fights everybody with a gigantic spear," Helena blurted out.  "She could kick the Army's butt."  
  
Her mother laughed and cringed.

"And wherever did you learn that?" Thor asked as he let go of the braids.  
  
"Internet."  Helena grabbed her braids.  "Whoa.  Warrior princess hair."  
  
"Is that a good thing?" Matt asked.  
  
"Yeah 'cause I'm gonna be a warrior princess when I get bigger," she said, swinging the braid in front of her face.  
  
"Will you join the Avengers if they have any openings then?"  
  
"Yup."  She grinned up at Thor.  
  
"We'd be very glad to have you, Helena," Thor told her, enveloping her in another hug.  
  
"Cool!"  She let go of the braid, jammed her helmet on her head, and raised her plastic Mjolnir up towards the ceiling.  "For glory!"  
  
"For Asgard!" Thor answered.  
  
"And there you have it, folks," Matt said with a smile.  "We'll be right back after these messages."

Suddenly, crewpeople milled about the entire set, fixing lights and other objects and setting up new things for the next segment.  The headset-man from outside rushed in to escort Thor and Helena out.  Thor carried her as they headed for the studio doors.  
  
"Hey, wait up!" her mother exclaimed, scrambling down the hall a few feet behind them.  
  
Thor did so, and when all three of them reached the street again, all sorts of reporters and civilians with cameras began taking pictures and shouting at them.  After glancing at her mother, Thor lifted Helena onto his shoulders.  The cameras clicked even faster.  
  
"Oh God, this is my new Facebook cover photo!" one young woman with short, choppy, black-and-blonde hair proclaimed.  
  
Then the reporters began to jabber.  
  
"So _why_ exactly does a Prince of Asgard care about the princess demographic?  Shouldn't you be going after the Tonka set?"  "Are you sympathetic because there's a playroom of little princesses at home?"  "What _is_ your marital status?"  "If you had to choose one celebrity to procreate with..."  
  
Then Helena's mother yanked a microphone out of a crewman's hands.  "Alright.  All of you will step away from this man and away from my daughter.  Or I will be very angry.  And you would not like me when I'm angry.  I will look a lot like that guy brooding on the skyscraper."  She pointed up at the Hulk, who roared and glowered down at them.  They all began to shuffle away.  "Thank you."  
  
"Here you go, madam," Thor said, handing Helena back to her mother.  Helena reached out and grabbed Thor's hand.  
  
"Thanks, Thor," her mother said.  "You can call me Claire and---Helena, no, you need to let go."  
  
"No!"  Helena tightened her grip.  "I wanna stay!"  
  
"You want to stay in New York while we fly back to St. Louis tomorrow?"  
  
Helena shook her head.  "Maybe not.  Aunt Amy's cats make my eyes itch."  
  
Claire kissed her daughter's cheek and pulled some familiar but folded papers out of her purse.  "How about you give him one of your drawings?"  
  
"May I select one?" Thor asked.   
  
Helena nodded.  
  
Thor went through the drawings again and picked his favorite.  "I'd like this one.  The one of you and me floating over this wondrous realm.  Would that be acceptable?"  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
Thor handed the drawings back to Claire, who placed them back in her purse.  Thor pushed Helena's helmet back and kissed her forehead.  "Meeting you has been the highest honor, Helena."  
  
"Um, thank you.  Same here!"  She gave him a thumbs up.  "But can I ask you a question?"  
  
"Of course."

"Did you get me and Kylie's letter?"  
  
Had Midgardians been trying to write to him?  This was the first Thor had heard of such attempts.  "I'm afraid not.  I have not received any correspondence since I arrived on Earth."  
  
"But we mailed it!" Helena insisted.  "You have to get it!  It's a got a picture of us and we said some nice stuff and she'll be so sad if you don't get it!"  
  
Claire held Helena's head against her shoulder.  "It's alright, sweetie.  He probably gets hundreds of pieces of fan mail a day.  And other people probably have to read it first to see if it's safe.  They'll pass yours along eventually."  
  
"When I'm like, twenty."  
  
Fury would do such a thing, but Thor could not discern such an action's true purpose.  He did know it would be an action of subterfuge, not safety. As Thor considered this, he stroked Helena's hair.  "I know exactly who would have withheld these correspondences and I shall do everything in my power to see that I receive them.  Deal?"  
  
Helena managed a small smile.  "Okay."  
  
Thor kissed her helmet.  "Now we must say farewell.  Go forth with all of your courage and enthusiasm and let all of Midgard know your strength---may it never fail you.  And remember our discussion about armor."  
  
"Mmm-hmm."  
  
"Don't worry.  I'll remind her about that one," Claire assured him.  "You know, I wasn't sure about bringing her down here today.  I thought, you know, it might burst her bubble.  But you're kind of the real deal.  So thanks again, Thor."  
  
"You're very welcome, Claire.  And goodbye, Helena, until we meet again."  
  
"Bye!"  She waved over her mother's shoulder as they disappeared down the street.  
  
This had been quite an interesting morning.  He could use this admiration---teach these girls about the glory of Asgard and they in turn would teach their children, who would teach their and children, solidifying this new alliance.  But he could also do more than that.  He was not sure exactly what that might be, but he would do his best to help them as they learned their way in this realm, in whatever ways he could.  
  
As he pondered this, Clint walked over to him, his face red with lipstick smears.  
  
"So can we switch fanbases?" Clint asked.  "I've gotten more marriage proposals than I'll ever need."  
  
Thor shook his head.  "I'm sorry, my friend.  I would not give mine up even for a crown that unified all the Nine Realms."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because a child's admiration is the purest gift one could ask for."  Then Thor spied something and nudged Clint to look.  A small boy in sunglasses and a purple vest ran around shooting styrofoam arrows at cars and brick walls.  "See?"  
  
Clint paused.  "Yeah, I guess I do."  
  
Thor paced back and forth on the sidewalk for a few minutes before joining the other to leave.  Perhaps his friends back in Asgard would mock him.  He could not imagine what his father would think.  But he could not care because he would rather contemplate how to make his little admirers happy.  With that thought in mind, he wandered back to join his colleague.  He could feel his cape billow out once again.

 


End file.
